Gaming News

Ken Levine's Next Game, Judas, Finally Revealed

Ken Levine, the creator of BioShock, has finally revealed his next game titled Judas. At the Game Awards, a trailer for the upcoming title was revealed. While details are still under wraps, the trailer showcases what looks to be a narrative-driven, single-player, first-person shooter. The game is being developed by Ghost Story Games, a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary, and this will serve as the studio's first title. “We founded Ghost Story Games to build upon the legacy of System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite,” said Levine notes in a recent press release. “With Judas, we’ve created an entirely new world and set of characters while exploring different approaches to single-player, narrative first-person shooters.” While no...

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Replaced: New Trailer Revealed at The Game Awards 2022

Retro-futuristic platformer Replaced got a brand new trailer at The Game Awards 2022. The new trailer kicked off with a number of newspaper headlines that set up the dark, alternative 1980s America the game takes place in. We then see a montage of areas the game takes place in, including a trailer park, a run-down city, a laboratory, and more. You can watch the stylish trailer below. Replaced is set to come out on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime next year. It was originally slated for 2022, but was delayed due to the war in Ukraine. The game was first announced at E3 2021. The game is a Cyberpunk thriller with a gorgeous 2.5D art style. Replaced's story features an AI trapped in a human body against its will. Logan...

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Vampire Survivors Announced for iOS and Android

The popular roguelite, Vampire Survivors, is available on iOS and Android. The full game is available for download now, for free. As announced during The Game Awards, the bullet hell hit Vampire Survivors is now playable on iOS and Android joining its counterparts on Xbox and Steam, where it is currently one of the most popular games on the Steam Deck. We were huge fans of Vampire Survivors' 1.0 release earlier this year, awarding it an 8 in our review. At the time, we said, "With its dead-simple graphics and basic map and enemy design, Vampire Survivors seems like it has no business sticking with me as much as it does. And yet, I felt compelled to put over a hundred hours into experimenting with its many weapon and ability upgrade...

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Street Fighter 6 Release Date Announced, Four Characters Revealed

Capcom has finally confirmed that Street Fighter 6 will launch on June 2 following a ton of rumors and even a leak through the PlayStation Store. Announced at The Game Awards 2022, a new trailer showed off some minigames from its single-player World Tour mode, as well as four characters: the brand new Manon, Marisa, and JP, and the returning Dee Jay. The PlayStation Store leaked the release date just a day ahead of its official reveal, following in the footsteps of Steam after it accidentally leaked Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's release date. Street Fighter 6 was announced back in February, with new bits of information being released slowly but surely since. A gameplay trailer showed Chun-Li and Ryu in action alongside newcomer Luke...

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Bend Studio Distances Itself From Former Director After Twitter Rant About Critical Reception

Days Gone developer says it doesn’t share John Garvin’s view on why it was poorly received. A statement from Bend Studios on Twitter has addressed the recent outburst from the Days Gone director, who blamed “woke reviewers” for its critical reception. “We are aware of the comments made by our previous Creative Director on Days Gone regarding his personal view on the critical reception of our intellectual property,” it confirmed. “Bend Studio does not share his sentiment, nor does it reflect the views of our team.” Garvin’s recent Twitter outburst (which has since been deleted) laid the blame squarely at reviewers who “couldn't handle a gruff white biker looking at his date's ass”. Additionally, he blamed technical issues as well...

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The Game Awards 2022: Everything Announced

It's the most wonderful time of the year in the world of video games as The Game Awards has returned for another night of awards, showstopping announcements, beautiful musical performances, and much more. Speaking of announcements, there will be A TON and it can be a lot to keep track of, so we're here to gather each and every one to make sure you don't miss a thing! We will be updating this page throughout the show, so watch the show on this page or keep checking back for some of the biggest game reveals of the year! Hades 2 Announced With a Gameplay Trailer Hades 2 was officially announced at The Game Awards and will send players back to the world of the original that we awarded our Game of the Year in 2020. It is set to welcome...

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Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards 2022 Edition - Everything Announced

The Wholesome Snack showcase has returned just in time for The Game Awards 2022 and is once again shining the light on a group of wonderful indie games that all aim to make you smile and have a great time. From a stunning game set on Jupiter's moon to an adorable adventure starring a wolf cub and a fawn to a game that celebrates New Caledonia while also letting you soul jump into animals and objects, there was a wide range of genres on display that are all worth a look. If that wasn't good enough, many of these games have demos you can try right now. We've gathered each and every announcement and trailer from Wholesome Snack: The Game Awards Edition below to ensure you don't miss a thing. Mail Time Is All About Delivering Mail To...

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Battlefield 4 Producer Returns to DICE to Lead Franchise

Former Battlefield 4 producer David Sirland is heading back to DICE to head up Battlefield. Announcing his return on Twitter, the former Battlefield producer revealed that he’s leading the franchise following the turbulent launch of Battlefield 2042. “Well, hello again Battlefield community — I’m back!” he said. “This time around, things really are very different (in a good way) — and I’m super eager to make the future of Battlefield brighter and better than ever!” Sirland is best known for producing Battlefield 4 but has a long history with the franchise already. He began with Battlefield 2 back in 2005 and went on to work on Battlefield: Bad Company. After exiting the company to pursue other projects, he returns with Battlefield...

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League of Legends, Valorant, and Other Riot Games Land on Game Pass Next Week

After a reveal earlier this year that League of Legends, Valorant, Wild Rift, Legends of Runeterra, and Teamfight Tactics were all making their way to Xbox Game Pass, we now know exactly when that's happening: December 12. Today, Xbox announced this collection of Riot titles would all drop on Monday across PC (League, Runeterra, TFT, Valorant) and mobile (Wild Rift, Runeterra, TFT), and will include various unlocks and extras included with the Game Pass versions. Users can connect their Riot accounts and Xbox Game Pass accounts to start playing on the day. Valorant, League, and Wild Rift will come with all current agents/champions as well as access to new agents/champions on release. Legends of Runeterra will come with all cards in...

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Epic adventure awaits in your journey against darkness & ruin in Dragonheir: Silent Gods.

Over the years, gaming studios have tried to recapture the magic of tabletop classics like D&D and Pathfinder to varying levels of success, with titles like Baldur’s Gate II and Chrono Trigger among some of the best. However, it’s been a while since a game came along that showed as much promise as SGRA Studios’ upcoming sandbox RPG adventure, Dragonheir: Silent Gods. Dragonheir is an online, multiplayer role-playing game set in Adenthia, an enchanting land filled with dwarves, orcs, Death Knights, dark elves, sorcerers, and more. A battle of the dragon gods has left Adenthia in shambles, and the three-headed Dragon Queen seems determined to finish plunging the world further into darkness. That is unless the Chosen One can stop her...

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Epic Games Introduces Child-Specific Fortnite Accounts

Epic Games is looking to stop its younger Fortnite fans from spending parents' money unknowingly or speaking with strangers online through its new child-specific accounts. Outlined in a blog post, Epic announced what it's calling Cabined Accounts, which offer a host of additional security features (that can be managed by parents) to ensure a safer and more structured environment for younger players of popular titles like Fortnite, Rocket League, and Fall Guys. Children under the age of 13 will have to supply a parent or guardian's email address when signing up under the new policy, and they'll need to request permission from that adult to access many of the service's core features. Though they can still play games from the Epic...

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The Game Awards: We Used Data to Predict the Winners

The Game Awards 2022 are just one day away, and one of the big discussions every year surrounds which game will win the final award of the night: Game of the Year. This year, the nominees are A Plague Tale: Requiem, Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Even though IGN's own Best Game of 2022 nominees differ, we thought it would be interesting to use audience data from our coverage of the five Game of the Year nominees to predict what game will walk away with the award on Thursday night. IGN Data Analyst Eric Zalewski compiled the data used for this experiment. We used a combination of data from IGN.com, IGN's YouTube, Steam, and other sources to determine which games were the most...

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Street Fighter 6 Release Date Seemingly Leaks Ahead of The Game Awards

The PlayStation Store appears to have leaked the release date for Street Fighter 6 after temporarily listing the game as a June 2 launch. As spotted by ResetEra user Neoxon and shared on Twitter (below) by industry insider Wario64, the alleged release date isn't confirmed as of yet but does contribute to rumours that a full reveal is coming later today at The Game Awards 2022. Three editions of the game were also listed - Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate - and preordering any of these within a "limited time" grants players "special titles and stickers" alongside costume variants. The Deluxe Edition comes with the Year 1 Character Pass (that will presumably grant the player each new character released over the first year after launch)...

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Aussie Deals: Great Gift Ideas For the Gamer Who Has Everything

Word on the street is you’re a gamer of taste. A discerning connoisseur of play. Somebody with money burning holes in their pockets. I’m not going to lie—that’s the best kind of problem to have. We have your solution one short scroll away. For the rest of us, it’s also the chance to window shop, drool and wonder what if. For this gift guide we’re shooting for the moon with all the criteria that turns an ok gaming experience into a great one: visuals, sound and input device of choice. Obviously, our personal preferences on which games to play with this stuff is going to vary greatly. The choices are myriad and everybody has their genre. That said, if you really nail down the hardware array you’re using (with our top-of-the-line...

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The Xbox Game Price Increase Is Finally Happening – Unlocked 573

This week the Unlocked crew discusses the Xbox game price change news and also the surprising agreement Xbox and Nintendo made to keep Call of Duty on Nintendo gaming platforms for the next 10 years. Plus, the crew shares a short wishlist for announcements and reveals at The Game Awards and reactions to Halo Infinite's December update. Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, to our YouTube channel, or grab an MP3 of this week's episode. For more awesome content, check out our interview with Todd Howard, who answered all of our Starfield questions after the big reveal at the Xbox Showcase: For more next-gen coverage, make sure to check out our Xbox Series X review and our Xbox Series S review. Miranda Sanchez is the...

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Crisis Core –Final Fantasy 7– Reunion Review

Crisis Core –Final Fantasy 7– Reunion is a perfect example of how a game can blur the line between a remaster and a remake, using the skeleton of its already great 2007 PSP original while completely rebuilding the muscle around it. Every change brings it much closer to 2020’s excellent Final Fantasy 7 Remake, from its gorgeously updated graphics to its considerably faster combat. However, Crisis Core stops short of the total upheaval FF7R leaned into, and many design choices made with the original PSP game in mind prevent this remaster from being an entirely unblemished reunion. Just as before, Crisis Core is an action-focused prequel that follows Zack Fair, a plucky and likable foil to his far more moody companion, the iconic Cloud...

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Aussie Deals: Xbox Series S Slashed to $399, a 59 Buck Pokémon, Game Awards Discounts and More!

The little console that can is going for a very sizeable discount today. The Series S is an excellent second console, like if you want something for a kid who plays on a smaller screen or if you want a budget-friendly way to take your first steps into the new console generation. Comparatively speaking, think of it like a base model car with a V6 and very few options, while the Series X is the fully-loaded V12. The deals on it (and many more things) await you below... This Day in Gaming Brian Lara Cricket (PS) released, 1998. Modern take Rugby League 2 (PS2) released, 2005. Sequel Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) released, 2005. Sequel Prince of Persia (PS3) released, 2008. Get it Table of Contents Nintendo Switch PC Xbox...

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Gabe Newell: Steam Isn't Interested in Agreements Like Xbox's Nintendo Call of Duty Deal

Valve appreciates Microsoft’s continued support of the Steam storefront and says that a formal agreement isn’t really necessary for their partnership together. We're happy that Microsoft wants to continue using Steam to reach customers with Call of Duty when their Activision acquisition closes,” said Valve CEO Gabe Newell in a statement to Kotaku. “Microsoft has been on Steam for a long time and we take it as a signal that they are happy with gamers reception to that and the work we are doing. Our job is to keep building valuable features for not only Microsoft but all Steam customers and partners.” Newell explains that Microsoft even sent a draft for a long-term community to keep Call of Duty on the Steam platform but clarifies...

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Dwarf Fortress Review

Seven dwarves set out from the Mountainhomes to establish a new colony in world rife with gods, monsters, and ancient legends. Though small, these dwarves are the heroes of our tale: Short, sturdy creatures fond of drink and industry. In their ingenuity they will craft incredible artifacts, face great evils, and establish a citadel to stand the test of ages... or they'll dig a little too close to a volcano and flood the whole thing with lava. Then you'll generate another world, with brand new gods, monsters, and ancient legends, and do it all again. All that and more is par for the course in Dwarf Fortress, perhaps the most cult in the pantheon of cult-classic video games, has been generating stories of triumph and tragedy for nearly...

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Synced Open Beta Hands-On Preview: Can This Nano-Infused Looter Shooter Do Enough to Stand Out?

There are a lot of options out there for people who want to shoot their way through hordes of enemies with the company of their friends, but I'd wager none of them let you do so with a pet that doubles as a metal super arm that would even make Bucky Barnes jealous. Enter Synced, a roguelike looter shooter with an emphasis on a creative buddy system between man and man’s best bio-organic frenemy. That emphasis kept me engaged throughout my limited early access play session, but also highlighted some of its less imaginative elements, like some extremely basic gunplay, repetitive level design, and hit or miss skill progression. What stands out immediately is the setting, which puts a lot more science into the sci-fi post-apocalypse. In...

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Upload VR Showcase Winter 2022: Everything Announced and Revealed

The latest edition of the Upload VR Showcase has arrived and it shined a light on a wide range of games that included everything from a new Attack on Titan VR game to a farming sim called Across the Valley to The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2 Retribution to a Peaky Blinders game. There were a lot of games and it can be a lot to keep up with all of them, so we've gathered each and every announcement from Winter 2022's Upload VR Showcase below to ensure you don't miss a thing! Attack on Titan: Unbreakable Brings the Beloved Anime and Manga to VR The beloved Attack on Titan anime and manga is getting the VR treatment with Attack on Titan: Unbreakable in Summer 2023 on Meta Quest 2. While we didn't get to see any gameplay...

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Moss and Moss: Book 2 Confirmed as PlayStation VR2 Launch Titles

Enhanced versions of Moss and Moss: Book 2 will launch alongside the PlayStation VR 2 when it releases on February 22 next year, according to a new blog post on the company's website. The update details how the Moss developer Polyarc has worked to make the most of the upgraded capabilities of the PlayStation VR 2 to remove some of the constraints placed on the series by its predecessor’s hardware. Both games will run in 4K at 90 fps and will feature graphical upgrades including lighting and texture improvements, and will make use of foveated rendering to reduce overall demand on the system. The VR2 upgrade will also have an increased field of view over the originals, and will allow players to use both hands while interacting with...

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Dead Space: Scene and Graphic Comparison - IGN First

The initial allure of a video game remake is the chance to replay an old classic in modern, shiny graphics. And that's exactly what we're getting with Dead Space; one of the remake's many features is that it has been built from the ground up in EA's modern Frostbite engine, and so looks as crisp and glossy as you'd hope for. It's easy to remember the original with rose-tinted glasses, so to demonstrate just how different the two games look we've created a side-by-side comparison video, which you can watch above. The original Dead Space still looks remarkably good for a game from 2008, but it's clear to see what a dramatic update the remake brings. That's thanks not only to high-resolution models and textures, but also the beautiful...

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The Best Gaming Hardware of 2022: Nominees

As 2022 comes to a close we’re looking at the best pieces of gaming tech from the last year, from powerful new components and best-in-class peripherals to complete gaming systems that fit in the palm of your hand. Here are our nominees for the Best Gaming Hardware of 2022… Be sure to check back next week for our winner! SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless In a sea of wireless gaming headsets, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless stands out. Instead of just working with one platform, you can hook up this headset to two consoles, PCs, or any combination of devices. Plus, it also has Bluetooth so you can listen to your mobile devices at the same time. Of course, this gaming headset offers more than just a myriad of ways to...

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The Best Racing Game of 2022: Nominees

Racing games are usually always a showcase for the launch of a new console, but each year also brings with it new entries in a genre that has some true die-hard fans. I mean, how many other genres have dedicated peripherals to play them? 2022 was a great year for all types of racers as it saw the return of Gran Turismo and Need for Speed as well as new entries in the F1, WRC, and Horizon Chase series. Racing games are so much more than just cars racing around a track, and these exemplified that. These are our nominees for the Best Racing Game of 2022... Be sure to check back next week for our winner! F1 22 In conjunction with some of the biggest regulation shake-ups in the sport in four decades, Codemasters’ long-running F1 series...

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Diablo 4 Hands-On Preview: We Played Act 1 and Hit Level 25

It’s rare for a game to come along that I can’t stop thinking about, even when I’m not playing it. There are plenty of great games out there, don’t get me wrong, but a precious few keep running in my head even after I’ve walked away from my PC. As you’ve probably guessed by now, I can’t stop thinking about Diablo 4. Even in its current unfinished state – Blizzard wouldn’t let us capture our own gameplay footage, likely due to the placeholder audio in my build and other normal in-development stuff that doesn’t make for a pretty video, so you’re looking at b-roll they put together for us here – Diablo 4 is absolutely crammed with story, content, beauty, character customization, and so much more. I played roughly 12 hours of Act 1...

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Diablo 4 Designers Tip Endgame Content, Cross-Play as Proudest Achievements as Game Nears Completion

Diablo 4 impressed the Hell out of me (pun intended). After I spent roughly 12 hours romping through Act 1 and reaching level 25 before I couldn't progress any further, Blizzard's latest dungeon-crawling action-RPG sequel had its hooks firmly into me. After I had to put it down, I spoke with lead designers Zaven Harouotunian and Angela Del Priore about their approach to the design of a franchise that is now over 25 years old. With the finish line of the project now in sight, I asked each of them about the contributions to the game that they're most proud of. "[I'm most proud of] how we’re supporting multiple inputs and platforms all at the same time," said Del Priore, whose duties include UI and user experience design. "It makes the...

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The Best Video Game Music of 2022: Nominees

From sweeping orchestral scores to retro mash-ups that trigger memories of fusty arcades, music can make the difference between a great game and an amazing one. It helps set the tone and carry the narrative, and although each of the five games shortlisted here takes a different approach to its audio, one thing is consistent – every soundtrack is a banger. Here are the nominees for Best Video Game Music in 2022; be sure to come back next week when the winner is announced. Elden Ring There are five credited composers on the Elden Ring soundtrack, which shows that this gargantuan task required a team of talented musicians to execute. One listen to the expansive soundtrack (which clocks in at over 60 tracks) and you can hear a wide...

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The Best RPG Game of 2022: Nominees

RPGs let you live in a world much different than your own and be the key player in a story that goes places no other games can go. Throughout the countless hours of the best RPGs, empires rise and fall, characters live and die, and worlds are saved or lost. While it can be a lot to get through one, the journey can be one of the most rewarding experiences in gaming, and 2022 had a lot of RPGs that fall right into that category. From the return of a beloved classic to a Marvel/X-COM game that is much more than it sounds to a new take on Pokemon, there were some standout titles this year. These are our nominees for the Best RPG Game of 2022... Be sure to check back next week for our winner! Live A Live The most traditional RPG...

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The Best Ongoing Game of 2022: Nominees

While some games live and die in the year they were released, others continue to thrive long after they first appear. Here we celebrate the games that continue to shine, from metaverse shooters to payload shifters, sprawling RPGs, and more. Be sure to come back next week when we announce the winners of IGN's Best of 2022 Awards. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen It may be hard to believe, but Destiny 2 first welcomed players into its world in 2017. Since then, it has continued to build itself into something unlike anything else on the market and a game that constantly calls its Guardians back to duty. The Witch Queen is the latest call to action, and we said it represents the “best expansion that Destiny has ever received.” Not only does...

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